You might well need a holiday after your divorce. Yet, if you want to take the kids, be it soon after or a year later, you need to be aware of a few things.
If you are not, you could find yourself in breach of your custody agreement.
Many custody agreements come with restrictions on traveling with the children
A lot of divorcing spouses are scared that the other parent might try to steal the kids and move out of state or even overseas with them, never to be seen again. Hence, courts typically put limits on travel.
If you want to cross state lines or travel overseas, you generally need the permission of the other parent or the court first.
You also need consent to travel during the other parent’s scheduled parenting time
A verbal agreement may be enough if relations are good between you and your co-parent. Get something in writing if there is any doubt to reduce the chance of problems later.
Flexibility goes both ways. If you want to take your child away for a week, and that intrudes on your ex’s time with the kids, be prepared to let them take them away on vacation during your allotted time.
The key is to keep the children’s best interests in mind. While you might hate the thought of giving up the two days a week you get with the children, forcing them to stay with you and miss out on a great trip with their other parent is rarely going to be in their best interests or what they want.
If you are unsure how to deal with vacations while making the custody agreement or after, seek legal help to clarify things.